


What Remains

by ThreeLittleDucks



Series: What Remains [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 08:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10940421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeLittleDucks/pseuds/ThreeLittleDucks
Summary: A rather brief take on a possible different background for Sara Ryder.





	What Remains

“Sara Ryder? Let’s get you checked out.” Sara turned away from the promotional vid playing against the med bay wall to give the approaching asari her full attention. A quick series of tests followed to make sure her brain had come out of cryo with the rest of her. “Everything checks out your prosthetics are syncing properly. Implants…” There was a brief pause there, almost imperceptible if you weren’t listening for it like Sara was. It happened every time a doctor checked her over. “...are functioning properly. But let's double check your SAM implant to be sure. SAM are you monitoring?”

Sara reached up and ran a thumb along the scars that slashed across her face before glancing at her left hand. Her entire arm had been replaced with a length of metal and wires. State of the art when the Initiative had left the Milky Way. Scott and her dad had been understandably upset when she disappeared for the better part of eight months following her mother’s death, only to reappear in a hospital on Sur’Kesh missing parts. And neither of them had been willing to accept it when they were told, “It’s classified” when they demanded to know what had happened. At least until work on getting the Initiative launched on schedule had managed to distract them. Though now that they were in Andromeda… “Scott’s not going to let it go.” Sara thought, glancing over at the cryo pod the technicians were in the process of opening.

The groaning of metal filled the medbay.

 

//////////////////////////////

 

“Scott’s going to hate that he missed this.” Cora looked up from her boot at the recon specialist.

“Are all the Ryders adrenaline junkies?”

“It’s in our blood. Someone has to see what’s past the edge of the map.” Sara paused and looked into the distance. “‘To sail the uncharted seas and find the wonders hidden past the horizon.’”

“That sounds like a quote.”

“Yeah, something Scott said once. Back when we joined the Alliance.” Sara’s eyes turned wistful. “He always wanted to be an explorer, sailing off into the unknown. “

“Just like your old man, huh. What about you?”

“Weeell…”

“ **Pardon, but the Pathfinder is now requiring sidearms.** _ ” _

“We expecting trouble SAM?” All playfulness vanished from Sara’s face, Cora momentarily shocked by the sudden transition. For a moment the woman next to her reminded Cora of some off the older commandos she had worked with, and she wondered again where Sara had gotten those scars.

“ **A precaution only. Please arm yourself** _. _ ”

 

/////////////////////////////

 

_ I’m too old for this.  _ Dr. Carlyle realized, pressed against a rock as alien gunfire strafed his position. Everything had gone to hell the moment the Pathfinder team entered the atmosphere. First losing communication with  _ Hyperion,  _ then watching as the other shuttle was torn in half by the storms. Now they were cornered by hostile aliens and the best fighter of the group, the Pathfinder, was nowhere in sight. Cautiously, the doctor moved to the edge of his cover and peeked around the corner. Just in time to see a head disappear in a spray of green blood.

Harry flinched instinctively, even though the dead alien was meters from his position. The other aliens dove for new cover as another fell with a round through the head. And just like that the tide had turned and the battle was over. Harry looked over at the two figures coming towards him. Liam bounding towards them with a combination of youthful energy and jump jets. Sara more slowly, cautiously Harry corrected, the young woman scanning her surroundings as she ejected the spent thermal clip from her sniper rifle. He had never been happier to see two humans in all his life.

His relief was short lived however as a shuttle carrying more aliens came into view.

_ Too damn old. _

 

/////////////////////////

 

“You’re the new Pathfinder.” The words echoed in Sara’s head as the rest of the team, her team now, left SAM Node. She clenched her fists, struggling with the wave of emotions that threatened to overtake her. Her, Sara Ryder, was the Pathfinder. The one responsible for finding humanity a new home in the Heleus Cluster.

 

_ “Colonel, Sir.” Sara struggled to sit up as the salarian walked into the hospital room. A task made difficult by her missing arm and the wounds crossing her torso. Colonel Baehat Rarlan of the office of Special Tactics and Recon waved her back down as he took the seat next to her bed. _

_ “Relax, Ryder. I’m here informally, and if you reopen any of those wounds while I’m here the doctors will tear me a new cloaca.” Sara snorted, then winced. Modern medicine did wonders to accelerate healing, but somethings ,especially bones, still to a long time to heal and she had cracked most of her ribs when she crashed that skycar. The Colonel gave her a wide salarian grin before getting down to business. “Unfortunately, I come bearing grave news. The Council is ignoring us.” _

_ “WHAT!” Sara did manage to sit up at that and immediately hissed in pain. Rarlan moved forward and gently helped her lay back down. “Why? How could they?” _

_ “Rather easily I’m afraid. All of the concrete evidence was destroyed in the blast. Everything else is circumstantial as far as the Council is concerned.” _

_ “But what if we could get more evidence. Track down Juarez or Faust.” _

_ “They’ve both disappeared in a rather thorough fashion. And even then I have it on good authority the Council has ignored rather more concrete evidence in the past.” Rarlan leaned forward and spoke more quietly. “Do you remember the geth attack on the Citadel?” _

_ Sara’s head froze mid nod, “You don’t mean Sovereign?” _

_ “Yes.” _

_ “But the Fifth Fleet took heavy losses to take that thing down. And the Destiny Ascension…” _

_ “I know. But the Council has decided to bury anything related to the Reapers. They simply do not wish to face the truth.” _

_ “But the Reapers are coming. And if we’re not ready…” _

_ “Even if we did prepare it might not matter.” Rarlan leaned back. “But there might be another solution. Your father and brother are on their way to Sur’Kesh.” he paused briefly at the look of discomfort the passed over Sara’s face. “I believe your father will take the time to tell you and your brother about the Andromeda Initiative.” _

_ “The Andromeda Initiative?” _

_ “A rather large undertaking to colonise the Andromeda Galaxy. Ambitious and in light of our recent discoveries, Ryder, necessary. Because after this cycle ends _

_ “The Initiative will be all that’s left of our people.” _

  
  


Sara looked down at her hands, one flesh and one steel. Took a deep breath, and stood up. She would do the job than. After all twenty thousand people were counting on her. All that remained of humanity.

No pressure, Right?

**Author's Note:**

> Maybe more details in a follow up?


End file.
